Riverside County

Mental /Behavioral Health

Students explore mental health careers

Herald-Tribune - 7/11/2018

Students from four area high schools along with two college interns recently participated in a Mental Health Careers Day hosted by Community Mental Health Center, Inc., Lawrenceburg, and co-sponsored by CMHC and the East Indiana Area Health Education Center.

The daylong workshop, held June 8, gave students the opportunity to tour some of CMHC's facilities, increase their knowledge of therapeutic listening and empathy skills and become certified in the Question-Persuade-Refer (QPR) model for suicide prevention. Workshop participants discussed individual character strengths and how to use these strengths, and also were able to experience a simulation of auditory hallucinations, a common symptom of some serious mental illnesses.

Students from Franklin County, Lawrenceburg, South Dearborn and Union County high schools participated in the workshop, as well as one intern each from Butler University and the University of Dayton.

For many, the highlight of the day was a question-and-answer session with clinical staff members from CMHC about careers in the mental health field. Students had a chance to talk with mental health counselors, a social worker, psychiatrist, advanced practice nurse and case manager.

"East Indiana AHEC was excited to work with Community Mental Health Center on the first annual Mental Health Careers Day," said East Indiana AHEC executive director Jeff Hartz. "Exposing local students to the variety of professional paths in the mental health field is important both to help students make informed college and career plans and also to address our region's shortage of mental health care providers."

According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth in the mental health field is expected to expand faster than average as nearly one in five people in the United States have a mental health condition. Demand for mental health services continues to increase. According to the BLS website, "Employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors is projected to grow 23 percent from 2016-26, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth is expected as people continue to seek addiction and mental health counseling."

"CMHC was excited to put this program on, working with EI-AHEC. Workforce issues are one of the biggest challenges we face in the behavioral health field," said CMHC executive director Tom Talbot.

"The Mental Health Career Day event offered an excellent opportunity to explore future career choices for students. Our field offers very rewarding career opportunities, ones that save lives and make significant differences in the lives of those we serve," he observed.

East Indiana AHEC is headquartered in Batesville and works in the counties of Bartholomew, Dearborn, Decatur, Fayette, Franklin, Henry, Jefferson, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley, Rush, Union, Wayne and Switzerland. EI-AHEC is one of eight area health education centers in the state. According to the website, these centers "work to enhance health care access and quality by improving the supply and distribution of health care professionals. We help academic programs, communities and health professionals connect and work together to meet local health care and health workforce needs."

CMHC uses a network of facilities in Batesville, Brookville, Lawrenceburg, St. Leon and Vevay to provide services in the region. Counties in CMHC's service area are Dearborn, Franklin, Ohio, Ripley and Switzerland. The center offers an array of services, including outpatient counseling, inpatient hospitalization, community and school-based services, and housing services for individuals with serious and persistent mental illnesses. CMHC employs professional staff, from case managers to psychiatrists, to provide these services.

If you or a friend or neighbor are dealing with depression, anger, stress, substance use problems or addiction, grief or another mental health issue, please contact CMHC at 812-537-1302, or visit the website at www.cmhcinc.org to find an office near you. Emergency services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 812-537-1302, or toll-free 877-849-1248.